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How interesting. I have to wonder, who are the witnesses to his telling this story at age 2? I’ve been throught the Twos seven times; their communication skills are underwhelming. Now a five-year-old could easily make this whole thing up, especially if he saw something in a movie, TV show, or book that captured his imagination. My five-year-old plans to move to Jupiter and make everyone there speak Greek. My suggestions are either that his mother has told him stories which he has come to believe are true (very easily done with young children), or that he has made up a story, perhaps based on fiction, that he believes is true. It’s interesting that he had a dad in his “past life” story, while he doesn’t seem to have one in reality.

Yes, that would be my thought, too. That mom began very early to teach him this 'story' and she knew bits and pieces herself were true ... but it seems awful far-fetched. Over a 3 year period? Still ... people will do some odd things to keep themselves amused. Anything is possible.

Maybe he has had a babysitter, grandmother, aunt, or something, who has told him stories that he has assimilated as true. Young children have virtually NO ability to sort truth from fiction.

A child’s longing for a father is very intense, and could result into his latching on to this narrative as a fixation. I don’t know what has really happened here, but there are a variety of possibilities for this boy to have acquired his belief in the story without anyone’s intending to upset him.

Yes, that would be my thought, too.

"At the University of Virginia, a department has been set up to investigate these stories."

A Department !!! You must think the folks at UVa are either stupid or naive.

ML/NJ